Magician’s End by Raymond E. Feist Read Free Book Online

army.’
    ‘Martin’s little army? Shouldn’t it be my little army?’
    ‘No, you need to stay close to Edward.’
    ‘Why? He’s got your grandfather and you, and there must be others loyal to the Crown, no matter who wears it.’
    ‘There are, but my grandfather may not be here much longer. It’s hard to know in my family; as often as not we conspire to get ourselves killed before we meet a quiet death in bed. And I …’ Jim closed his eyes for a moment. ‘I am used up. The burden of trying to live up to a family legend that grows with each passing generation, I guess. Truth to tell, I do not know how talented the original Lord James was. By any objective measure he was a genius, but was he the genius portrayed in the histories?
    ‘My burden, my flaw of character, is to match myself against him. As a child, when my father couldn’t hear, I’d call myself “Jimmyhand” because I could never remember the “the”.’ He leaned forward, both hands on the balustrade, and took a deep breath. ‘Oceans smell different, you know?’
    Hal nodded. ‘Far Coast is … damp: the wind comes from the west constantly and we get that salt-and-fish smell. Here …’
    Jim laughed. ‘A lot of flowers in these gardens.’
    Hal laughed with him. ‘But down in the city it’s still sweet.’
    ‘Which one is better?’
    Hal thought. ‘This one, but not here.’
    ‘Roldem?’
    Hal stayed silent.
    Jim put his hand on Hal’s shoulder. ‘There’s someone in Roldem I miss as well.’
    ‘Lady Franciezka?’
    Jim nodded.
    ‘A remarkable woman,’ said Hal. He and Ty had sheltered for a while under the lady’s protection as they got ready to smuggle Princess Stephané out of Roldem and away from a forced marriage. ‘What is this all going to come to?’ he wondered.
    Jim said, ‘If we play our part, we shall gather on the Fields of Albalyn soon, where a truce can be forged that will permit Edward to enter this city safely, and he can be acclaimed by the Congress of Lords as king. And then we can set about restoring order in the Kingdom. And that’s what you need to concern yourself with, my lord Duke of Crydee. There are few men of rank in this nation I would hand a sword and ask them to stand behind the king, but you are one of them. If Edward survives more than a few months before someone decides his rule has lasted too long, then we may look to the future.’ Jim lowered his head.
    ‘There’s something else? What?’
    ‘Everything,’ answered Jim. ‘Those three murderous creatures that plunged us into wholesale war with Kesh, had but one ambition: to create chaos, and in that they succeeded in grand fashion. In all things in this life, magic gives me the most to fear, for you need other magic to battle it. We’ve long allied ourselves with people who seem to be of good heart and intent, but I …’
    ‘You hate leaving things to others,’ finished Hal.
    ‘Yes,’ admitted Jim. ‘Another flaw of character, and probably why I’m so sick at heart and worn out by all this; I would wager there’s no man alive who has travelled more between Krondor, Rillanon, and Roldem than me.’ He released his hold on the balustrade. ‘We have more to discuss, but some other time. I could do with a meal before tackling the more prickly matter of politics. Join me?’
    ‘Certainly. Can my brothers come as well?’
    ‘Of course. There’s much we need to keep between ourselves, but there are many things it would be well for all the conDoin brothers to know.’
    Hal smiled.
    Jim put his hand on Hal’s shoulder and lowered his voice. ‘You realize that you are the only three males left alive who bear that name.’ He conveniently neglected to include the magician, Pug, who was a conDoin by adoption, but who had renounced his allegiance to the Kingdom years before.
    Hal said, ‘I hadn’t thought of it that way.’
    ‘For reasons that will become clear, I am having the officials in the court refer to you as Duke Henry, but